UPCOMING EVENTS

It’s not exactly a secret that Google will be announcing a slew of new gadgets next week at its hardware event on October 4. VentureBeat can confirm that the world will indeed be introduced to a Google Pixel (pictured above) and a Google Pixel XL (Update on September 27: pictured below).

Rumors that Google is launching two new phones later this year — codenamed Sailfish and Marlin — have been circulating for months. The smartphones are supposed to ditch the Nexus branding in favor of Pixel and be built by HTC.

Google Pixel, the smaller of the two devices, was first detailed under its Sailfish codename by Android Police in June. That report said the phone would have a 5-inch 1080p display, quad-core 2.0GHz 64-bit processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 2770 mAh battery, a 12MP rear camera, and an 8MP front camera. The report also said users could expect a top-mounted headphone jack, a fingerprint scanner on the rear (à la Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P), and a USB-C port on the bottom. The Google Pixel XL will sport similar specs, except for a 5.5-inch QHD display and a 3450mAh battery, also according to Android Police.

You can expect these phones on Verizon in the U.S. and unlocked when purchased directly from Google, of course. Expect details for other carriers around the world to follow. Android Police expects that the smaller Google Pixel will start at $649, which would make the entry price tag more expensive than for any Nexus lineup yet. But these aren’t Nexus phones. They’re Pixels.